'Too old for twitter, too young to die! Actor turned writer.” This is the message posted on Gene Wilder's Twitter account.

Sadly, the star known for his roles in Willy Wonka and Young Frankenstein has died at the age of 83.

Gene Wilder, the star of Willy Wonka and Young Frankenstein, has died at the age of 83. Photo: Twitter.

Wilder's nephew Jordan Walker-Pearlman revealed the actor's death following a private three-year battle with Alzheimer's, reports RollingStone.

"The choice to keep this private was his choice, in talking with us and making a decision as a family," Walker-Pearlman wrote.

"We understand for all the emotional and physical challenges this situation presented we have been among the lucky ones—this illness-pirate, unlike so many cases, never stole his ability to recognize those that were closest to him, nor took command of his central-gentle-life affirming core personality. It took enough, but not that.

Born Jerome Silberman in 1933, Wilder was known as an American stage and screen comic actor, screenwriter, film director and author.

Wilder began his career on stage, and made his screen debut in the TV-series Armstrong Circle Theatre in 1962.

Although his first film role was portraying a hostage in the 1967 motion picture Bonnie and Clyde, Wilder's first major role was as Leopold Bloom in the 1968 film The Producers for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

This was the first in a series of collaborations with writer/director Mel Brooks, including 1974's Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein, which Wilder co-wrote, garnering the pair an academy award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Wilder is known for his portrayal of Willy Wonka in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) and for his four films with Richard Pryor: Silver Streak (1976), Stir Crazy (1980), See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989), and Another You (1991).

Wilder directed and wrote several of his own films, including The Woman in Red (1984).

-Additional information from Wikipedia.